The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-19
THE WEDDING RING.
A HISTORY OF THIS SYMBOL OF
MATRIMONY.


Stones-A Few Superstitions
The wedding ring is made the subject of
an article by Dr. McNally, in the Popular
Science Monthly for November Of all the
ornaments with which vanity, superstition
and affection have decorated the human
form, few have more curious bits of history
than the finger ring. All other ornaments
must be laid aside at some time or another
for various reasons; or mutilation is neces-
sary-the ear must be bored, the nose
pierced, or the lips or cheeks slit, and after
the completion of these surgical operations
the ornament is generally inconvenient, and
sometimes even painful. In direct contrast
with other ornaments of its kind is the finger
ring. 1t is seldom lost for it need not be
taken off; requires no preparatory mutila-
ton of the body, is not cumbersome or pain
full, is always in view, q perpetual reminder
either of the giver or of the purpose for
which it is worn. To these reasons the
writer ascribes the popularity of the finger
ring, the invention of which is tracsd in
Hebrew tradition to Tubal- Cain, the Sin
Structor of every artifcer in brass and iron"
The barbaric lover, like the swain of civil
lized and modern days, ''for the purpose of
n love-gift could find nothing more suitable
than the ring. And when the agonies of
courtship finally settled into the steady
troubles of matrimony it was not remarka-
bile that this token of affection should re-
main on the finger of the bride, or be re-
moved to be succeeded by another of SINH
lar kind"
Continuing, the writer says: The uses of
The finger ring have been many and diverse.
Originally purely for ornament, it became
the signet for kings and warrant for their
messengers; to civil officers it was once an
emblem of Office, and to ecclesastics an in
dispensable portion of the Episcopal cos.
tune. 1t was once worn by physicians to
prevent contagion, and by patients to cure
disease; the timorous wore it as a charm
against evil spirits, and the ambitious chung
to it as talisman, giving the wearer sue
cess over his enemies. But as a love-token
and a symbol of marriage the use of the
ring is so general, and of SO long standing,
as to dwarf into insig ificance its employ
ment in all other directions.
A FACTOR IN THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY.
At what period it came to be used as a
recognized factor in the marriage ceremony
it is impossible to say. The writer says:
The Hebrews used it in very early ages,
and probably borrowed the custom from
the Egyptians, among whom the wedding
ring was known-a circle, in the language
of hieroglyphics, being the symbol of
eternity, and the embodiment of the circle
readily symbolizing the hypothetical dura-
ton of welded love. The Greeks used we'd
ding rings, SO did the Romans, both putting
them on the foref1nger-by the way, a
practice followed by the medieval
painters, many of whom represent the
Virgins ring on her forefnger. In the East.
where the popular estimate of woman is
low, the use of the wedding ring has not
been common, though occasionally a
favorite wife or an Oriental monarch would
receive from her master ring as a mark of
his favor. The conclusion, therefore, is
safe that with increase of respect for the in
stltution of marriage come also increased
respect for and use of the ring as token of
the alliance
During part of the middle ages custom
demanded that the wedding ring should cost
as much as the bridegroom could afford to
pay, and there are records in Germany and
France of large investments made in this
way. The revulsion brought us the plain
gold circlet of to-day
MATERIALS AND STYLES OF THE RINGS.
The materials of which the wedding rings
have been made are as diverse as the nations
which have used the rings. The British
Museum shows rings of bone and hard
wood found in the Swiss lakes: an ivory
ring from an Egyptian tomb: an iron ring
once worn by Roman matron, and rings
OF bone, ivory, copper, brass, lead, tin,
silver, gold, and some of composite of sew
eral of these metals, the inscriptions or de-
signs of which make it certain that they
were wedding rings.
The use of such a variety of materials in
wedding rings does not indicate changes of
fashion, for these collections are from many
different lands Still there is no doubt that
fashion sometimes had an influence in de-
terminlng the style and material of the ring
For instance, during the sixteenth century
&c
of several links Joined so as to seem but one
and during the palmy days of astrology the
horoscopes OF both contracting parties were
sometimes indicated in the setting of
the ring. Wedding rings were also often
made with a cavity to contain medical
preparations to restore health or avert evil
After the Crusades had set Europe in a
flame the practice of wearing ring in
which was set a fragment of the true cross
became common in France, Germany and
England: Ass-hoof rings were at one time
popular In Spain as a cure for epilepsy, and
such ring made, it is said from the hoofs
of the ass that carried Christ into Jerusalem)
was used in wedding near Madrid in 1881.
ABOUT PRECIOUS STONES.
When precious stones were used the domi-
nance of fashion was absolute, and was fixed
by the month in which the child was born.
Ii in January, the stone was a garnet be-
wearer friends wherever she went. If in
Feb, uary. her ring was set with an ane.
thyst, which not only promoted in her the
quality of sincerity, but protected her from
poison and from slanderous tongues The
blood-stone was in March, making her wise
and enabling her with patience TO bear
domestic cares; the diamond for April,
keeping her heart innocent and pure so long
as she wore the gem. An emerald for May
made her happy wife, while an agate for
June gave her health and protection from
fairies and ghosts. If born in July the
stone was a ruby, which tended to
keep her free from jealousy of her
husband; while IN August the sardonyx
made her happy in the maternal relation.
In September sapphire was the proper
stone, it preventing quarrelS between the
welded pair; in October n carbuncle was
chosen to promote her love of home. The
November bride wore topaz, it hay
ing the gift of making her truthful and
obedient TO her husband; while in Decenl-
Der the turquois insured her faithtulness.
Among the German country folk the last
named stone is to the present day used as
setting for the betrothal ring, and, so long
as It retains its color, il is believed to ndl-
cate the constancy of the wealer
This fanciful notion originated IN Italy,